A contemporary of Debussy at the Paris Conservatoire and later a pupil of Raff in Frankfurt, Edward MacDowell was the first American composer to achieve international recognition, writing music in the tradition of Schumann and often reflecting the interests of Grieg.

MacDowellwas truly a tone poet, whose music showed a great gift for melody. No other American composer has painted a wild rose, an iceberg, a water lily or a deserted farmhouse so eloquently. MacDowell’s legacy of beautiful and enduring piano pieces is interpreted by the late, award-winning pianist James Barbagallo, whose love of this music is heard in every note.